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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27085147">i was in the pit. you were in the pit. we all fell in the pit.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/4wholecats/pseuds/4wholecats'>4wholecats</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Minor Injuries, Now That's What I Call Sibling Culture, Prompt: Support/Carrying, Takes place during POR, Whumptober 2020, who would win. 2 knights of delbray or one hole in the ground.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 02:27:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,137</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27085147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/4wholecats/pseuds/4wholecats</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She looked down at the ground. At the logs, still resting in the grass. In the grass. Not over the trap.<br/>“Geoffrey-” Lucia spun around in a panic, just in time to see the top of her younger brother’s head disappear into the ground.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elincia Ridell Crimea/Luchino | Lucia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Whumptober 2020 [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i was in the pit. you were in the pit. we all fell in the pit.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>best experienced while listening to "the pit" by mouse rat.</p>
<p>this is absolutely not in the spirit of whumptober this is basically a comedy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Lucia was tired of all these traps. She had avoided the fiasco on the bridge, only hearing about it later from Elincia, but stumbling upon even one pit could really put a damper on her mood. She sighed, unbuckling her sword and chucking it out of the hole. This was no small trap, unfortunately. She couldn’t even see over the edge; a bit of climbing would be required to overcome this obstacle. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>At least the walls of the pit are a bit rocky</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the bruises on her arm reminded her. She squinted in the dark, searching for a foothold with the toe of her boot. Her knees knocked against the dirty walls as she scrambled, hand searching the above world for something to grab onto. Mentally apologizing to the nearby plant life, she wrapped her hand around a thick tuft of wild grass and used it as leverage. Swinging a foot up to the surface, she ungracefully heaved herself from the earthy depths, rolling onto her back away from the hole. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her clothes had needed a wash anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And she’d get the chance too; her watch shift was nearly done. She sat up, glaring down at the hole with malice. Now that she knew it was there, it’s presence was obvious, but it could still be dangerous to an unsuspecting wanderer. She needed to find some way to fill it in… but there seemed to be no spare dirt laying around. Perhaps covering it with something sturdy enough to walk on would work better. The treeline was a ways away from where the army’s camp had set up, but a log or two would probably do the trick. Better to trip and fall onto a branch than down a hole. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Glancing around, no one seemed to be approaching; anyone not on guard duty was asleep. The likelihood that anyone would happen upon the trap while she was gone was small.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucia got to her feet, doing her best to dust herself off. She frowned as her finger went through a hole in her sleeve, torn by one of the sharper stones she had fallen against. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What a pain,” she muttered, bending down to scoop up her sword and reattach it to her belt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woods were a short jog away, across the field from camp. Thankfully, it hadn’t rained in a while, so the two sturdy logs she found were dry. Hoisting one up on her shoulder and the other under her arm, the trek back to camp was slow. The sight of a dark divot in the earth was a relief now, as she heaved the heavy wood onto the grass. Brushing the moss off her hands, she approached the pit again, surveying its size and thinking about the best way to cover it up. She didn’t want to go hunting for more wood if she could help it-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lucia, your watch is over,” a voice behind her said, startling her from her thoughts. She turned towards the sound, coming face to face with none other than Geoffrey, still blinking sleep from his eyes and combing his hair with his gloved fingers. She reached up, flattening a defiant tuft that he had missed, and was greeted with a grimace. “I can do it,” he mumbled, as he straightened one of his gloves and checked the buckles of his gauntlet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look terrible. Were you assigned this watch, or did you take it willingly?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Willingly. It hasn’t been my turn for a few days now… we all have to-” he paused, swallowing a yawn, “do our parts.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Indeed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I still hate the night watch though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can tell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sidled past her with a mumbled “Excuse me,” and she was content to let him go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But then she looked down at the ground. At the logs, still resting in the grass. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the grass. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not over the trap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Geoffrey-</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Lucia spun around in a panic, just in time to see the top of her younger brother’s head disappear into the ground. A startled yelp came from the pit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit,” she jogged forward a few steps, crouching at the edge of the hole. “Hey, are you okay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A bewildered face stared up at her as Geoffrey lay on his back at the bottom, blinking dirt out of his eyes. He looked around wildly once the dust settled, coming to terms with his new environment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh,” he trailed off as he rolled over, fully awake, “I… I think so- Did you..? Did you dig this pit?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not!” Lucia hissed, leaning further into the hole in an attempt to keep quiet, “I fell in too, I was about to cover it up before you distracted me! Why do you think I’m covered in all this dirt!?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t see any dirt! It’s the middle of the night!” Not only was Geoffrey now fully awake, he was irritated, bordering on angry. Oh well, better he take the fall than someone more delicate, like the princess.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, stand up and take my hand. You can help me cover it up so no one else falls in,” the myrmidon said, extending an arm. Clawing at the side of the pit, Geoffrey got to his feet, only to freeze in place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lucia?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I sprained my ankle.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucia bit her tongue as Geoffrey lifted his foot off the ground and patted his sabaton with his hand. A frustrated groan left him as he leaned against the wall at her feet, only the tips of his blue hair reaching the surface.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The knight didn’t grace her with an answer, content with glaring up at her in a manner that reminded Lucia of their childhood, when she would eat his food while he wasn’t home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, you can’t stay down there,” she said, sticking her hand out once again, “I’ll pull you up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glared at the hand before grabbing it. Lucia began to back up slowly as he walked himself up the side of the hole with only one hand and one foot, pausing every few seconds to take a breath. Only once he was on his hands and knees in the grass did Lucia let go, squatting next to him and waiting for him to catch his breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sprained, huh?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Geoffrey sat down heavily, clothes just as dirt streaked as hers. The rocks in the pit had scratched some of the paint off his armor, leaving scuffed, silver slashes behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Feels like it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could be worse.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Could be broken.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That would be worse, yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was a lucky man. A healer could fix a sprained joint in a single night, but broken bones required bedrest. Lucia got to her feet as Geoffrey began combing his fingers through his hair again; a stress reaction he’d picked up from their mother when they were kids.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here, let me cover this pit and then… we’ll wake a healer. Rhys is probably up on a late shift now anyways.” Lucia said, heaving the first heavy log back into her arms. She dropped it over the pit with a loud thud, and was pleased to see that it was nearly covered; the hole wasn’t large, just deep. Geoffrey watched her tug the second one into place and brush off her hands before returning to his side. He got to his feet with her help, leaning on her shoulder, almost as heavy as the logs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you walk?” she asked, putting one hand on his shoulder. He frowned and took a tentative step, before his brow furrowed and he gingerly lifted his injured leg off the ground again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh, no. I don’t think so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucia sighed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you walk if you use me as a crutch?” she asked. He half-hopped over, slinging an arm around her shoulder. They made it only a few feet before Lucia growled under her breath. His arm pulled her hair every time they moved, not to mention, he was dreadfully heavy. At the rate they were moving, it would take forever (twenty minutes) to get to the healer’s tent. Lucia thought as they shuffled along, the annoyance building as his armor poked and prodded at her own bruises with every step.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, hold on a second,” she whispered. The knight looked at her curiously in the dark, clearly having as much of an enjoyable time as she was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m gonna say something, and you’re not gonna like it, but you’re gonna accept it because it’ll be easier for both of us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to carry you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Geoffrey’s frown deepened to a dangerous degree.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re almost there, that really isn't-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Almost there my </span>
  <em>
    <span>ass,</span>
  </em>
  <span> we’re hardly ten feet from where we started! Not to mention, my hair keeps getting caught in your gauntlet and you pull it every time you move.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you should cut it then. It’s impractical.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That is not the point of this discussion,” she said, jabbing him in the side with her thumb. “The point is that I am going to pick you up, and you are not going to argue, because I can get us there in about three minutes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t even lift me!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You just saw me carry two trees from the forest. You cannot possibly weigh more than that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Geoffrey’s jaw clenched, and she could feel his hand balling into a fist on her shoulder. He looked around at the empty plains and the clump of dark tents.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Worried someone will see you?” Lucia smirked. He looked down at her, eyes full of malice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It would be bad for morale if any of my men saw me getting carried around like a baby, don’t you think?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucia snorted. “I’ll never understand the way you think, brother. If anything, it should boost morale, to know that if any of them get in trouble, I will </span>
  <em>
    <span>personally</span>
  </em>
  <span> carry them away in my big strong arms.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Geoffrey groaned, but released her shoulder from his grasp. “Make this quick, would you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Naturally.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In one sweeping motion, Lucia bent down and looped her arms under Geoffrey’s knees and back before straightening up, arms now full of slightly dirty knight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I told you I could carry you,” she said, beginning to walk again, “You may be taller than me, but I am still as strong as any paladin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you are,” Geoffrey grimaced again, arms crossed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The remainder of their trek was thankfully free of traps and pits, as well as witnesses. The medical tent’s light was dim but present, and Lucia deposited her brother at the door like a parent dropping their child off at a daycare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need to get cleaned up. Keep your eyes out for more traps. I’m going to bed, so if you get stuck again you’ll have to ask someone else for help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Noted,” Geoffrey said, pulling open the flap of the tent to reveal Rhys, who looked up from his book at the intrusion. “Same to you. Goodnight. And thank you, I suppose.” He limped his way inside, letting the opening close behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucia turned on her heel, striding towards her tent near the center of camp. She entered it quietly, doing her best not to wake its other occupant. However, Elincia was already gazing at her from the comfort of the bedroll, chin propped up by her hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re quite late… I was getting worried,” she whispered, smiling slightly in the darkness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s been a long night,” Lucia grumbled as she pulled off her boots and shed the filthy outer layer of her clothing. “Found a trap, fell in the trap, went to cover the trap, but then Geoffrey </span>
  <em>
    <span>also</span>
  </em>
  <span> fell in the trap and hurt himself so I had to haul him to the cleric’s tent. All in pitch dark, of course.” Elincia straightened up and pursed her lips, but before she could say anything, Lucia continued, “He’s okay, don’t worry. Just a sprain; I assume he’s already healed by now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, well that’s good then,” Elincia said, retracting her arm back under her blanket and squirming into a tight ball. Winter hadn't set in, but the night air was a bit nippy. Lucia, stripped to only her smallclothes, felt the chill on her aching back as she climbed over the princess to settle on the other side of the bedroll. Elincia rolled over to face her, large eyes peering out from under the covers. “And are you alright? You said you fell as well?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lucia looked over to the princess, so close that their noses nearly touched. “I’ve done a lot of particularly strenuous lifting tonight, so I expect to wake up with aches unlike any I’ve ever dealt with before… but yes, I’m alright.” Elincia grinned and wrapped a thin arm around Lucia’s waist, scooting closer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what I like to hear.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>princess of crimea can have little a gay. as a treat.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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